The failure of electronic systems is a common problem for systems under repeated stress and vibration. Electronic systems are often contained in packages that include thousands of solder bumps, traces, and vias that are used to connect various components. Under extreme temperatures and mechanical stress, solder joints, traces, and vias can crack. Often called microcracking, they can lead to the complete failure of an electronic system.
Electronic system failure due to stress has historically been unpredictable. Current methods for detecting such failures involve using historical data of the life cycle of specific electronic components and systems as a guide to how long implemented systems will operate before a failure. This method, based only on usage time, is generally unreliable due to the variation of an individual electronic system's environmental and physical conditions over a period of time before a failure is experienced. The current method often fails to predict the failure of an electronic system or forces a premature replacement of such systems.